Product Description

Climate modelling is a young discipline. Ten years ago it was dominated by atmospheric scientists but now modelling groups are actively searching out oceanographers, ecologists and social scientists. Moreover many professionals nowadays need to be able to interpret and weigh the importance of climate model studies. Among these are demographers, economists, geologists and even politicians. The basis and mechanisms of all types of physical climate modelling are explained, in order to prepare the reader for the use of climate models. The fundamental concepts are introduced by easily understood examples which enable anyone new to this field to comprehend the relative complexities of climate models, without the need to understand each step of a particular model.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3720742 in Books
• Published on: 1988-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 234 pages

From the Publisher
This is the first self-contained introduction to climate modelling. Assuming only a basic algebra background, this text provides a history and introduction to climate models and describes such model types as energy balance, radiative-convective, two-dimensional, and general circulation. Stresses the importance of simple models of the climate and their value in testing and extending the concepts upon which much more complex models are founded. Written for an interdisciplinary audience rather than for specialists in atmosphere science, this treatment shows how to judge the credibility of different model types and when and how to apply the results of modelling exercises.

From the Back Cover
Climate Modelling is a young discipline, not yet thirty years old. Despite this youth, it has great responsibility thrust upon it by the ratification of the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change. The ultimate objective of this Convention is to achieve ‘stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system (Article 2). This volume is designed to explain the basis and mechanisms of all types of physically based climate models and to prepare the reader for the climate modelling literature. The book will assist the reader in understanding the relative complexities and applicabilities of the whole range of climate models without needing to follow each step or parameterization in a particular model. In this new edition, the text has been completely revised and augmented with information from the IPCC Second Scientific Assessment. The latest techniques for modelling the coupled biosphere—ocean—atmosphere system are also considered. The final chapter includes details of projects which evaluate and exploit the results of climate models. The accompanying CD contains a suite of resources for those wishing to learn more about climate modelling. Source code and results for a range of model types will allow readers to make their own climate simulations ranging from global glaciations to tropical deforestation.

About the Author
Dr. K. McGuffie is a Reader in the Department of Applied Physics at the University of Technology, Sydney. His research interests are in the development of one and three-dimensional climate models, and he continues to work with real observations of the climate system. He has published over 40 papers and articles dealing with climate and climate modelling.
Professor A. Henderson-Sellers is the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Development) at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. She maintains an active interest in climate modelling and climate impacts and has been a prominent participant in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change process. She has published over 300 papers and books dealing with climate modelling and related issues.

Customer Reviews

Not worth it
This book is a very basic introduction to climate modelling. A lot of concepts and few equations. It is a good introductory text but I hoped to find more coding examples (there is only one example and it's in BASIC). But for that amount of money, it is definitely not worth it.

quite good for climatology model beginners
This book is quite clear and systematic in this summary and explanation on the climate model development and design. Very suitable for the undergradute or graduate student to learn.